Best of the Nile

A 5- Day version: Aswan , Nile Cruise and With ABU SIMBEL
Inclusive of all transfers . Round-trip Domestic air fare
A 4-Day Nile Cruise and a hotel stay in Luxor or Aswan

A view from the legendary Colonial Style Old Cataract Hotel In Aswan

Add this to your Cairo itinerary to really feel the magic of Egypt! Weekly on Wed & Sat . Cruise embarkation from Aswan or Luxor on . Add a stay in Sharm El Sheikh Resort on the Red Sea

DAY 1 - CAIRO / ASWAN/ Abu Simbel
Please advise the name of your hotel in Cairo. Very Early morning Transfer is included from your hotel to the airport. Always in a private air-conditioned vehicle, with a private chauffeur
Domestic air fare between Cairo & the cruise is included, issued & delivered in Cairo, economy class, tax included . Your flight will make a brief stop in Aswan then continues on to Abu Simbel.

In Abu Simbel : Your private Egyptologist , private air-conditioned vehicle, with a private chauffeur will be awaiting you . Tour the mighty Temples of Ramses the Great & his Queen:
In Ramses the Great larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters.
And Queen Nefertari's smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple by ourselves in the quiet of the morning, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, before we head back to Aswan by air.

Upon Arrival in Aswan : We proceed to the Movenpick Aswan , or the Old Cataract Hotel ( Deluxe ), or Basma Hotel Aswan ( First Class ) , overlooking the Nile and the ancient island of Elephantine. After a brief siesta break, we board a graceful felucca for a cruise among the Nile islands

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel: All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient Pharaonic temple threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam. Read More

Day 2 - Aswan - KOM OMBO Wednesday & Fridays (BLD)
Breakfast is included at the hotel .
We have several vessels available , embarkation on Wednesdays & Fridays , our local rep will assist with your transfer from the hotel to your luxury Nile Cruise.
Check in on our luxury cruiser in the morning, then visit the Aswan High Dam, the red granite quarries of the ancient pharaohs, Nubian Museum, and the Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :

The Mystery of Isis . Two millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery of Isis: "I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled."

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

Because of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey to the Underworld.

Isis is portrayed regally, as a queen seated on a throne (which may be the meaning of her name), often holding her son Horus as a baby. Other images show her with broad, magnificent gilded wings able to protect the world.

Isis, the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless Egypt when you Travel in Style!

After a shipboard lunch, we set sail for Kom Ombo, where we explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek. We continue our cruise to Edfu, where we dock for the night.

DAY 3 - EDFU & Kom Ombo LUXOR Thursday (cBLD)
We board horse-drawn carriages (or motor vans) for the ride to Edfu's Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved Ancient Egyptian temples on the Nile. After lunch , we continue our cruise down the Nile to Luxor. Afternoon tea is served on the sun -deck. Dinner & entertainment on board.

DAY 4 - LUXOR & THEBES Friday (cBLD)
Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple of El Deir El Bahari , and the Colossi of Memnon.

Special announcement : Queen Nefertari's tomb will be closed until further notice for urgent repairs, so we 'll be touring instead : Ancient Workers Village at Deir El Medineh, the first known "Workers Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.

Deir El Medinah is on Luxor's west bank you get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.

Afternoon tea is served on deck. Dinner & folk dance show on board. Complimentary Galabya delivered on board the cruise.

DAY 5 - LUXOR & KARNAK Saturday (cB)
We tour the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak , the "mother" of all temples, and the smaller yet charming Temple of Luxor, checking out of our cruise vessel ,transfer is included back to the airport
Domestic air fare is included as well back to Cairo .
In Cairo , we meet you at the airport & escort you back to your hotel or assist with your transfer to another connecting international flight. End of our service - Bon Voyage ! Extend to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea.
Itinerary is subject to change without notice.

RATES per person in USD for the 5 Day program

Christmas, New Year's ) Dec 20 - Jan 3 ) & Easter Weeks ( two week season) :
Please add %15 to the above listed rates

Sample 4 stars cruises : MS Ruby . Presidential Nile Cruises , MS Nile Dream

Rates for the Five Star Deluxe - Rates per person in USD

Rate Includes :

• Bottled water (large bottle per person daily while on board the cruise)
• Hotel accommodation in Aswan at the Movenpick Elephantine ( or for Old Cataract Please add : 80 USD per person in double , no triple ( Nile view room) ,or Basma Hotel ( or similar) for first class
  
• Welcome fruit basket on board the cruise
• Abu Simbel group tour & entrance fees
• Welcome fruit basket on board the cruise
• Nile cruise as per itinerary including all shore excursions.
• All entrance fees and the service of an English speaking guide .
• Meals B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner. As well as afternoon tea daily, on board the cruise
• Domestic air tickets between Cairo & the cruise, as well as ABU SIMBEL, tickets are issued & delivered in Cairo .
• All domestic airport/ cruise transfers as listed in Egypt.
• Complimentary Galabya delivered on board the cruise.

Rates do not include:

• Tips.
• Insurance ( we'll be glad to send you the flyer)
• Drinks with meals. Meals not specifically mentioned. Tips for guides and hotel personnel.
  Expenses of a personal nature
• Baby Sitting : Available upon request : $10 per child / per hour

Rates are per person in US Itinerary is subject to change without notice.

Boarding the cruise is from either Luxor or Aswan, depending on the availability at the time of booking.

• One way sleeper & one way air fare , between Cairo & the Cruise Private Nile Cruising : Royal Cleopatra

• Add Petra Jordan A La Indiana Jones

• Overnight in Abu Simbel & Watch the Sound & Light Show

• Please click here for the Four Seasons Ultra Deluxe Edition

• Add 2 nights hotel stay in Cairo ?

• Add Round-trip flights within Egypt .  

• Add an extra night in Aswan or Luxor

• Add Abu Simbel . Overnight in Abu Simbel

• Private Nile Cruising on Royal Cleopatra Sailing Boat .

• Compare with a full 8 day package in Egypt

• Extend to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea : Aswan or Luxor hotel stay , the cruise and Abu Simbel.

YOU will not require any, our dining rooms do accommodate all our guests in one seating, one less thing to worry about while you are on the Nile. Enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere with several different languages being heard at dinner.

* Do we get sea sickness while sailing the Nile ?
This is river sailing, so do not expect any waves , no rough seas ! Your Nile cruises is actually a floating hotel that moves from place to place along the Nile. Actual cruising times are short and pleasant.

What to Pack:
Most of the year look forward to warm, even hot weather in Luxor & Aswan, morning & evenings are cooler. For Shore excursions, we suggest comfortable cotton & natural fabric lightweight clothing. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.

Clothing on Board:
Lightweight comfortable & casual clothing. Swimsuits, sun hat. Dining room dress code is casual for breakfast & lunch, but smart casual for dinner. All ships are fully air conditioned

Children Discount:
- Four year of age ( or younger) , sharing with parents : Free of charges.
- Four years & one day up to 11 years of age : % 50 discount. Sharing with a minimum of 2 adults
- 12 years of age or older : Regular rate applies

On board the ultra deluxe Radamis II -Movenpick Nile Cruise

On board the ultra deluxe Radamis II -Movenpick Nile Cruise

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel:
All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient Pharaonic temple
threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam.

It’s worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have been lost.

No one questioned that the temple must be saved. UNESCO developed a marvelous plan to cut the huge monument into 1,423 stone blocks and move it 200 meters (219 yards) north and 63 meters (207 feet) higher,
just above the estimated level of Lake Nasser, the vast inland sea that would be created by the new dam.

But who would pay? As a developing country, Egypt could not shoulder the burden alone. Other countries could contribute, but only one country--the United States of America--truly had the resources for this
monumental rescue effort.

No matter how much wealth there is, it is never enough. Many legitimate, worthwhile projects compete for funds. What Abu Simbel needed was an advocate, someone who recognized the temple for the irreplaceable world art treasure that it was.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, already famous for her grace, refinement, and sensitivity to the arts, saw the need to work for the salvation of Abu Simbel. It was she who urged Congress to allocate $10 million for the rescue effort (a sum roughly equivalent to $100 million today). It was an enormous amount of money, but she saw that America
must step up to the challenge of saving this treasure of worldwide importance for all time.

The rescue funds were approved by Congress and the temple was saved.

In appreciation for her efforts, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser presented the First Lady and the president with a 4000-year-old Egyptian statue (which is now preserved in the John F Kennedy Library &
Museum in Boston). (http://www.jfklibrary.org/visit_museum-14.html)

President Nasser wanted also to give a gift of thanks to the people of the United States for their valuable support. He asked Mrs Kennedy to choose an appropriate monument. She suggested the small Temple of
Dendur (c. 15 BC), and the gift was readily approved. The temple was brought to the United States in 1965 and installed at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1967.
(http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/ view1.asp?dep=10&full=0&item=68%2E154)

Times change, leaders come and go, but some acts of support and generosity are remembered through the decades.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy loved Egypt, and Egypt still loves her.

Dear Omar,

It was most wonderful trip; we have really rested and are sure this was not the last time. We will be interested in visiting Alexandria in future.

YOUR TEAM IN EGYPT ARE VERY WELL ORGANIZED AND WE WILL RECCOMED THEM AND YOU of course TO ALL OUR FRIENDS.

Thanx a million once again. we will be in touch in the future

Sabina and Piotr